Feedback Gathering: Character Creation

Most of my thoughts on this were the points others stated above, but one thing that nobody else seems to have mentioned: can we get a Rubbery option? We can be clay as it is, so I would love to have an option to be rubber as well. (I am assuming that an option to make your captain a fluke is entirely off the table. If that assumption is correct, it is an understandable if disappointing design decision; if not, then, well.)

Most of my thoughts on this were the points others stated above, but one thing that nobody else seems to have mentioned: can we get a Rubbery option? We can be clay as it is, so I would love to have an option to be rubber as well. (I am assuming that an option to make your captain a fluke is entirely off the table. If that assumption is correct, it is an understandable if disappointing design decision; if not, then, well.)

Oh, no, I like this idea! Or how about at least rubbery bits? Like the bits you can pick up in Flute Street.

Most of my thoughts on this were the points others stated above, but one thing that nobody else seems to have mentioned: can we get a Rubbery option? We can be clay as it is, so I would love to have an option to be rubber as well. (I am assuming that an option to make your captain a fluke is entirely off the table. If that assumption is correct, it is an understandable if disappointing design decision; if not, then, well.)

Oh, no, I like this idea! Or how about at least rubbery bits? Like the bits you can pick up in Flute Street.

I was thinking of this as being one of the Outfits that takes up the whole character, but a peculiar personal enhancement as an option compatible with wearing some semblance of normal clothes is also a good idea!

I will echo everything else that's been said so far. Being able to click left and right (or use arrow keys) to cycle options would be swell. More options in general would also be peachy, including more feminine options.

In particular, I'd like to see a few more hats. The ones that are there are excellent, but I'm missing a grand be-feathered spectacle like Barbossa's hat from Pirates of the Caribbean. And perhaps something like an aviator's cap, with goggles up or down?

I really like being able to choose my background, then refine it further, but was wondering if you'd consider adding Ringbreaker to the Urchin background or Mycologene School to the poet?

I can make no promises, but you do have my word that I will pass this onto our writing team. It's likely our Narrative Director has got his plans set for the Origins/Histories, but I shall most definitely mention this to him.

I really like being able to choose my background, then refine it further, but was wondering if you'd consider adding Ringbreaker to the Urchin background or Mycologene School to the poet?

I can make no promises, but you do have my word that I will pass this onto our writing team. It's likely our Narrative Director has got his plans set for the Origins/Histories, but I shall most definitely mention this to him.

Bigger: it's very cumbersome to have to select the portrait choices from the list by scrolling and clicking. Left and right arrows for scrolling through the options would be much faster, especially since character creation is a thing I'll easily spend ages on fiddling with the smallest detail.

Màiread wrote:

This may be too much work, but I think it would also be easier to remember which face part is which (& quite flavourful!) if the various options had names rather than numbers. There's something charming about the idea of choosing 'The Charleston' or 'The Winsome Derringer' rather than 'Nose 7.'

Mostly agreeing with these, although I'd prefer horizontal rows of thumbnails for the character options - something like this, perhaps?

I like the different options available both in terms of the story and also the stat boosts. More options (for the character backgrounds) in general seems like a nice idea but it could get too cumbersome. In terms of the portrait/names, i agree with others that there should be a way to click through rather than scroll. I didnt even realize there were more than 6 options at first.

BTW the hat with all the tentacles is my favorite. I dont think I'm going to ever choose a different one over it.

I love the artwork and the swapping silhouette idea for your portrait. But triggering the dropdown, then selecting and item, to view a haircut or chin, then doing it again when it isn't the one you remembered will get tedious. If you could just tab though the facial features/clothes, then use the left/right keys to cycle through the different options it would be much smoother.

Maybe you could make portraits an aspect of the game which is moddable? You could have a "portraits" folder, with "chins"/"noses"/etc sub-folders, and a mod could just drop in PNGs/JPEGs which use some combination of filename and embedded image metadata to give info to the portrait engine. Then the portrait image files chosen would be included in the save, so the portrait would still work even if the save is shared (round-robin/succession games) or if the mod is removed.

I would love to have more variety in the portrait options - like 2-3 times what's present now, if that's not asking too much. Like several folks have already said, more feminine options, please! I'm a bit piqued that I can't use the character generator to reproduce my favorite portrait from Sunless Sea - the very same portrait I've chosen for the forum here. What I really want to do with portraits in play on gender ambiguity and mixed signals.

As also mentioned by others, making it easier to flick through the portrait options would be great.

The story elements in character creation and leveling up feel good as is, but I would like more depth, more of a sense of crafting a unique, nuanced story rather than filling in pieces of a hidden past. What would be really wonderful is if there are hidden stories under the level-up process, where you have a chance of effectively pursuing a quest or mystery through your own background as you level up - and then having that, once unlocked, impact the present goings-on in the game.

I'm very frustrated by having to pick "option 1" without knowing what it looks like. By the time I've opened "option 5" I have completely forgotten what nose shape was associated with the label "option 1".

Most games allow me to scroll through a list of visible changes, and quickly apply each to see a preview. This works much better as a way of letting the user understand what they're getting. Even a quick icon next to "option 1" showing the rough shape of the nose or whatever would help. Another solution would be to say "snub nose", "majestic nose", "eagle nose". Please, anything more informative than "option 1"!

I talked to my son about my character complaint, and he said that my complaint is because often I play doll games and simulation games. In The Sims or Stardew Valley, you're always given thumbnails. In shooters, you may not be.edited by Jonquil on 1/20/2018

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this. I'm going to unstick this thread now as I think on the whole it's clear everyone is happy with character creation, you just want to see loads more profile options, more origins/histories (and the choices have more impact in game, which they will), more clarity on the complete overrides and a more user friendly UI. Oh and hats! Everyone loves hats!

I think we'll be working on these aspects of character creation much closer to launch but there will definitely be more origins and profile options, including more feminine features and I'm pleased to confirm, turbans, to represent members of our Sikh community too.